Orecchiette con Sugo al Pomodoro Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Orecchiette con Sugo al Pomodoro Recipe

In the rustic kitchen of our trullo in Alberobello in Puglia in southern Italy, our host Maria gives us a lesson in pasta making and teaches us how to make her orecchiette con sugo al pomodoro recipe with ingredients she has grown herself.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 743kcal

Author: Terence Carter

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic sliced in half
1 whole red onion peeled, chopped into quarters (or eighths if very large)
50 g cherry tomatoes vine-ripened
1 piece dried red chilli crushed
3 fresh bay leaves AKA laurel leaves or alloro in Italian
6 fresh basil leaves
400 g tin peeled tomatoes
2 litres water
1 tbsp salt
250 g orecchiette
½ cup cheese Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic clove pieces and when the garlic pieces have bubbles forming around them remove and discard.
Add the chopped onion quarters (or eighths if it's a large onion) to the pan.
Once the onion has softened, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and crush them a little with a spatula.
Sprinkle the crushed dried red chilli into the sauce and reduce the sauce down, then add the fresh bay leaves and basil leaves, followed by the tin of tomatoes, breaking them down in the pan.
Put the water on for the pasta, add a tablespoon of salt and bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the pasta.
Cook the pasta for 7 minutes and then test a piece of the orecchiette. It should be cooked through but still have a little ‘bite’ or firmness to it.
Using a spider or a slotted spoon, remove the pasta from the water and add it to the sauce, which should be ready by now. Turn the heat up a little and combine the pasta with the sauce.
Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt to taste.
Plate the pasta, adding a few more basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a bowl of your favourite grated Parmiagiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, generously sprinkling some over the pasta before serving.

Nutrition